You Are Still My Wife!

Chapter 17: A Friend's Warning

Idri could not say anything after what he heard from Dori. Did he get involved with Frieze just to forget Dori? He was confused and lost. He did not protest further. They both had lunch in silence. While he was about to leave, Dori stood up and took a picture with him. He did not like it but it was too late. The picture was already taken suddenly before even he could react. He did not pay much heed and greeted her bye to leave. Dori sat there for a while and he saw the man leaving the restaurant. He was smiling to herself. She quickly opened her social media account and uploaded her picture with Idri as a status with the caption “A lunch date with my ex-boyfriend.” She even sent a friend request to Frieze while she blocked Idri who could not check her status. Frieze received a notification on her phone of a friend request with someone named Dori Creg. She immediately recognized her face in the display picture and accepted her friend request without much thoughts. As she glanced through her profile, the first status she saw on her wall was a picture of her with Idri. She checked the date and time and it was just five minutes ago. Frieze felt strange but she could recognize the shirt that Idri wore. It was the same blue striped shirt that Frieze took out of the cupboard for him to wear today morning. She felt upset that she was not informed that he planned for lunch with her meanwhile he never asked her for lunch while she used to work in office. She would be having lunch with her colleagues unlike in B city where Idri used to always ask her for lunch during office hours whenever he was in town. Her heart was heavy and she was completely clueless at the moment. She was wondering if she was a rebound for him but at the same time, she knew he loved her a lot. It could not be a mistake. They are best friends and they were always open about their feelings.

Just to lift up her mood, she called Idri.

“Hey boy, where are you?” Frieze was happy hearing his voice.

“Hey my woman, I am in office. Just finished lunch.” Idri spoke.

“That is good. What did you have in the canteen today?” Frieze was quick to ask him.

“Nothing much, just a burger. I had a meeting and so, I could not eat much though. Simon is also busy today with some of his projects.”

“Oh so you were all alone today?”

“Yeah all alone missing you.”

Frieze was disappointed. This is the first time he lied to her. She could only have her eyes moist and her heart felt like someone stabbed it.

After a pause, she spoke “I got a series of interviews to take up, I will hang up first. Bye.”

He did not even respond but disconnected the call immediately. She was surprised by his odd behavior. She was lost in her mind. This is the first time she was lied to. She started thinking if he always lied to her but dated her behind the back? She loved her always and since, she was gone, she wondered if she was just being used as a mental support until Dori came back to him. She cancelled all her meetings for the day as her mood was completely off. All sorts of negative thoughts surrounded her. She was hurt but little did Idri knew that he has been caught red handed.

Meanwhile Idri sat in Simon’s office telling him about what happened earlier during the lunch with Dori. Simon was furious and wanted to punch Idri on his face.

Simon spoke angrily, “How dare you meet her? She is a sly fox and she is simply manipulating you. Are you even thinking to leave Frieze? Mind you, you lose her, she is gone forever. She is not the kind of girl who would accept betrayal. She will never forgive you and she will not even fight with you. I know her well. She is my childhood buddy. Once she is gone and you realize off late that you chose Dori over her while you are seriously in love with Frieze, you can never have her back. She will not accept you again. Take this as my warning. A friend’s warning to another friend.”

“I am not thinking to leave Frieze ok. You are misunderstanding me. All I am saying is I should had looked for Dori and talk things out. She waited me for years. I am so confused. I came to you for advice and stop scolding me. I know I don’t love Dori but I don’t hate her either for leaving me.”

“You are married and stop thinking of your ex-girlfriend. Don’t you dare hurt Frieze. I can kill you for that. Stop getting influenced by that wicked woman who is only after your money.”

“She has changed. I could feel it. I saw in her eyes.”

Simon got angrier and held him by his collar “Now you have started looking into Dori’s eyes eh? Do you know if you say these things in front of your wife, how will she even feel? She left everything for you to settle here with you God Dammit.”

Idri came up with an unusual idea, “Let me meet Dori for some more time. Maybe I will know the truth. I know I don’t love her. I am just pitying her because of my mistake of not clearing things out with her. She just wasted three years of her life waiting for me while I ran after another woman and married her.”

“Frieze became some another woman to you now? I feel sorry for you. You will regret this one day. Does Frieze even know what are you up to behind her back?”

“I cannot tell her about it. I am at a very confused state at the moment juggling between two women. I know I have invited trouble but I would try to meet Dori just to understand what my real feelings are. I had no idea she would come back. I just feel a sense of responsibility here. I just want to clear my head just to make sure Frieze was not a replacement or rebound but the love of my life while Dori was just a passing wind.”

“I am not supporting you. You will regret this one day and don’t come to me for this. I will not tell Frieze anything about it. You can trust me this much since I treat you as my brother. I will not help or support you either. God save you. I am off today.”

Idri was left in the office alone lost in thoughts. Simon already refused to help him clear his head and now, he had to understand the complications all by himself and take decisions.